as out, at Mr. Wickfield's. The lawyer had an only daughter,
Agnes, just David's age, a sweet, gentle girl, who seemed to live for
her father, and whom David came to consider before long almost as a
sister.

One person connected with the lawyer's household whom he did not like so
well was Uriah Heep. Heep was a high-shouldered, red-headed, bony young
man, with no eyebrows or eyelashes, and with long skeleton fingers. He
dressed all in black, and his hands were clammy and cold, like a fish,
so that it chilled one to touch them. He never smiled--the nearest he
could come to it was to make two creases down his cheeks. He was always
cringing and pretending to be humble, but really he was a sneak and a
scoundrel at heart. David detested him without knowing why, the more so
when he came to see that Heep was gaining an influence over Agnes's
father. All the while, too, Heep pretended to like David, though David
knew very well he did not.

So time went on. David studied hard and was a favorite with both pupils
and teachers. At length he was head boy himself, and at seventeen his
school life was finished.

He parted regretfully from Doctor Strong and from Agnes, and after
paying his aunt, Miss Betsy Trotwood, a visit, he started off to
Yarmouth to see his old nurse, now the wife of Barkis, the driver, and
just as fond of David as ever. On his way through London, as it
happened, David met the old school-fellow whom he had so liked, James
Steerforth, and, loath to part with him so quickly, he proposed that the
latter accompany him to Yarmouth.

Steerforth agreed and they went together. They took dinner at Peggotty's
and spent the first evening in the old house-boat, where Mr. Peggotty
still lived with Ham and Mrs. Gummidge and little Em'ly, the latter now
grown to be a lovely girl and engaged to marry Ham. They spent some
weeks there, each amusing himself in his own way, and soon Steerforth
was as popular as David had always been, for he sang beautifully and
talked entertainingly, and all, from Mr. Peggotty to little Em'ly,
thought they had never seen so brilliant and handsome a lad.

If David could have read the thoughts that were in Steerforth's mind he
would have grieved that he had ever brought him to that peaceful,
innocent spot. For Steerforth had changed since the old school-days when
David had been so fond of him. He had learned wickedness, and now, while
he was exerting himself in every way to make the Peggottys like